Hey chicks,

Last post we talked about why protein is so important for fat loss, so today we are going to get into the deets about how much protein you should be eating, and where to find it!

For a general recommendation, we like to see chicks eating about .8 – 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. However, if you are carrying around a little more body fat than you would like, it’s best to use your ideal weight instead of your current weight. Given this guideline, the average chick could be consuming anywhere from 100-150 grams of protein a day.

This may sound like a lot, but seeing as we recommend eating protein at every meal (along with some fat and fibre of course), if you know what foods to be including at each meal, you should be easily able to hit your protein target daily.

There’s no need to whip out the food scale at every meal (unless that’s what you are into). One of the best measures you have of a serving of protein is the palm of your hand. The width and thickness of the palm of your hand is about a serving size of meat, fish and poultry. For oddly shaped proteins, like eggs, think about how many you can hold in your hand. This works perfectly because if you are a larger sized person you get a bigger serving of protein than a smaller person.

Vegetarian and vegan chicks may have to be a little more mindful, since for you protein needs to come from a variety of sources. But try to make sure you include a serving of a protein rich vegetarian food at each meal, so your meals aren’t just consisting of carbs and fats.

If you want some hard numbers about protein grams, here’s some of our fave protein sources:

ANIMAL PROTEINS

      4 oz chicken breast – 28 grams
      4 oz ground turkey – 28 grams
      3 eggs – 18 grams
      1 cup egg whites – 24 grams
      1 cup greek yogurt – 20 grams
      1 cup cottage cheese – 28 grams
      4 oz lean beef – 28 grams
      6 oz white fish – 36 grams
              1 scoop protein powder – about 20 grams

VEGGIE PROTEINS

      4 oz tempeh
      1/2 cup tofu – 20 grams
      1 cup beans – 14 – 20 grams
      1 cup lentils – 17 grams
      1 oz hemp seeds – 10 grams
      1 cup edamame – 22 grams
              1 scoop vegan protein powder – about 20 grams

PROTEIN COMES IN MANY PLACES

While the main source of protein in your meal comes from a protein rich food, many other foods contain smaller amounts of protein. So by adding a variety of foods to your meals, the bonus is not only that you get a variety of nutrients, but also some extra grams of protein to make up your daily requirement.

NUTS AND SEEDS

While they shouldn’t be a primary protein source (you would end up eating way too many calories and fat if you tried to get 25 grams of protein from nuts and seeds), they do contain small amounts of protein. So sprinkle some on your salad, or have a handful as a snack (along with your protein of course!).

      1/4 cup almonds – 8 grams
      1/4 cup cashews – 5 grams
      1/4 cup pumpkin seeds – 8 grams
              1/4 cup flax seeds – 8 grams

VEGGIES

Need another reason to eat more veggies? Apart from being a great source of complex carbs and fibre, veggies do contain small amounts of protein which can add to your daily total!

      1 cup peas – 9 grams
      100 gr asparagus – 2.5 grams
      100 gr kale – 4 grams
      1 cup cooked spinach – 5 grams
      1 cup broccoli – 2.5 grams
              1 cup mushrooms – 4 grams

If you want more deets about the science behind protein check out this fab article. As always, let us know if you have any questions!

(Plus if you want to learn more about how to live healthy, lose weight, get toned and have some healthy cheerleaders in your corner, make sure to listen to the FIT CHICKS Chat Podcast? Click here to join our FIT CHICKS Community and we will send to you as soon as it is live!)

Laura & Amanda – FIT CHICKS xo